Pgque Postgres Queue

If you need a Postgres-based queue that won't bloat your database with dead tuples, this is the move. It's a pure PL/pgSQL implementation of Skype's battle-tested PgQ architecture, using snapshot-based batching and table rotation instead of row-level locks. That means you can run high-throughput queues on managed Postgres (RDS, Supabase, Neon) without vacuum becoming a nightmare. The tradeoff is latency: delivery takes about one to two seconds because nothing ships until a tick fires. Native fan-out is built in, so multiple consumers each get their own copy of every event. If you need sub-second messaging, look elsewhere. If you need reliable queuing that won't degrade your database over weeks of sustained load, this nails it.

skills.sh installs: 296
GitHub stars: 26
last updated: Jun 3, 2026

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Install

$ npx -y skills add aradotso/trending-skills --skill pgque-postgres-queue --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

PgQue – Zero-Bloat Postgres Queue

Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

PgQue is a pure PL/pgSQL reimplementation of the battle-tested PgQ (Skype/Postgres) architecture. It uses snapshot-based batching and TRUNCATE-based table rotation instead of row-level locking, delivering zero dead-tuple bloat, predictable performance under sustained load, and native fan-out — all from a single SQL file on any Postgres 14+ instance including managed providers (RDS, Aurora, Cloud SQL, Supabase, Neon).

Key Concepts

Tick: A periodic snapshot that closes a batch of events. Nothing is delivered until a tick fires.
Batch: A group of events captured in one tick, consumed atomically by a subscriber.
Subscriber/Consumer: A named cursor on the event log. Multiple consumers get independent copies of every batch (fan-out).
Zero bloat: Events are stored in rotating tables and cleared via TRUNCATE, never DELETE. No dead tuples.
Latency trade-off: End-to-end delivery is ~1–2 s (one tick interval + poll). Per-call function latency is microseconds.